Oxygen supplying inhalation mask



Sept. 7, 1943. A. H. BULBULIAN OXYGEN SUPPLYING INHALATION MASK Filed May 29, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 7, 1943. A. H. BULBULIAN OXYGEN SUPPLYING INHALATION MASK Filed May 29', 1942v 2 Sheets-Shea}, 2

ARTHUR H. BULBUL IAN Patented Sept. 7, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OXYGEN SURPLYING INHALATION MASK Arthur H. liulbulian, Rochester, Minn.

Application May 29, 1942, Serial No. 445,402

6 Claims. (01. 128-142) My invention relates to oxygen supplying inhalation masks, and has for its object to provide a combined mask structure and rebreathing bag forming together substantially a single unit in which a rebreathing bag is provided which is adapted to be connected to the mask body proper in a manner such that there will be the shortest possible distance of travel of respiration gases to' and from the rebreathing bag and oxygen gas into the rebreathing bag.

This application is related to my copending application Serial Number 411,8711fi1ed September 22, 1941, but differs from it in the particu-- lars of the mode of connection of the rebreathing bag to the mask structure both as regards 'a respiration passage to and from the rebreathing bag, introduction of oxygen into the rebreathing bag, and the manner of support of the rebreathing bag 'on the mask body itself.

It is therefore a principal object of my invention to provide a mask body with balanced,

downwardly turned respiration passages normally containing restriction valve mechanism,

such for-example as the sponge rubber disc conbreathing chamber of the mask directly into the rebreathing bag so that the rebreathing bag is at the same time supported at its upper center and-forms in efiect only an expansible part of the. breathing chamber.

It is a further object of my invention to form on the mask body itself an oxygen delivering tube with an expanded nipple at its end which passes through an opening in the rebreathing bag and thus at the same time further aids'in supporting the rebreathing bag upon the mask structure and in introducing oxygen directly into the central body of the rebreathing bag.

It is a further object of my invention to make these parts not only light and compact and easily supported upon the face of the wearer with no parts which could get in the way of the hands of the wearer. who may be, for example, a pilot in military aviation, and yet which will be perfectly effective in permitting rebreathing and the addition of oxygen in any indicated or in any proportions.

The full objects and advantages ,of my invention will appear in-connection with the detailed description thereof, and the novel features by which the above noted advantageous results are obtained will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating an application of my invention in one form, n

Fig. 1 is an end elevation view of my construction with the open side of the mask body turned p.

Fig.2 is a central sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view of the securing tab of the rebreathing bag as it attaches the same to one of the exhalation tubes.

Fig.4 is a top plan view of my mask structure with parts of the back broken away to show the oxygen feed mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4. v

Fig. 6 shows diagrammatically an oxygen tank of standard construction for supplying oxygen to the rebreathing bag.

As illustrated, a mask body I0 is provided having a face contacting thickenedrim portion II and a nose receiving portion l2. including nose gripping wires l3 indicated in shape and position'at M of Fig, 1. The arrangement is such that when the device is applied to the face of the wearer a breathing chamber l5, Fig. 2, is formed over the nose and mouth. The'mask body has a rim portion clasping the contacting parts of the nose, cheek and chin of the wearer- Laterally disposed protruding hollow parts l6 and I I, Figs. 1 and 3, form respiration passages l8 and 19, which, as the mask is worn, will normally be turned backwardly at either side. oi"

the face of the wearer. The passages 18, and I9 open through restriction valved passages 2ll and 2| to the interior of the breathing chamber I5. Sponge rubber valve mechanism corresponding to that "shown in the above-mentioned Boothby patent is such valve mechanism as to permit gases of inhalation and exhalation to pass through the restriction valves and to atmosphere through the passageways l8 and I9 when the pressure in the rebreathing bag builds up with the filling of the bag, and likewise permits outside air to pass into the breathing chamber i5 when the rebreathing bag has been emptied and sufiic'ient negative pressure builds up in the breathing chamber l5. Another projecting part of the mask structure 22 forms a chamber 2 for housing a microphone.

These several parts are or may be of known construction. They are, however, related to'my invention herein disclosed, which will now be described in detail. The rebreathing bag 25 is formed of thin extremely pliable rubber adapted to expand and contract as the bag is filled and emptied during respiration. The rebreathing bag itself has somewhat the form of an oval roughly crescent in cross section. At the ends of the oval are securing tabs 26 and 21, Figs. 3 and 5, which are held by rivets 28 and 29, Figs. 3 and 5, to the inner walls of passageways I8 and I9, By this means the ends of the'rebreathing bag 25 by tabs 26 and 21 are held securely anchored to the inner walls of chambers l8 and I9, and the rebreathing bag itself is brought directly across the bottom of. the mask under the chin of the wearer, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The mask body proper is provided at its central front part with an extended nipple 30 forming a circular opening 3|, Fig. 2, from the breathing chamber l located adjacent the mouth and nose of the wearer. Within this opening 3| is positioned a metallic connector piece 32 which receives over it a tubular extension 33 of the rebreathing bag 25, as best shown in Fig. 2. In this manner the rebreathing bag is additionally anchored to the maskbody with a respiration passageway 34 leading by the shortest possible route directly from the breathing chamber l5 to the interior of breathing bag 25.

The mask body I0 is formed at its bottom with a thickened portion 36 which runs into a downwardly projecting tube 31. Extending through the thickened portion 36 and the tube 31 is a passageway 38. Surrounding the passageway 38 adjacent its open end 39 is an expanded button 40 formed integral with the thickened portion 36. The rebreathing bag is formed with an opening 4|, through 'its wall, in conjunction with a nipple portion 42, which surrounds and grips the button 40, thus holding the rebreathing bag at another point to the mask body l0 and opening the passageway 38 to the interior of rebreathing bag 25. Through a connectormember 44 which extends into passageway 38 an oxygen supply tube 45 goes to an oxygen supply tank 46, indicated diagrammatically on Fig. 6. As clearly indicated in Fig. 2 the oxygen is thus caused to flow through opening 39 directly into the central part of rebreathing bag 25.

While the construction of my invention is particularly adaptedfor the use of aviators in flyin at high altitu'des it alsohas great therapeutic value in those cases of illness where it is desirable to have patients breathe atmosphere of a high oxygen concentration-up to 100%. The relatively large passageway 34 in the rebreathing bag and the thin and flexible character of the walls of rebreathing bag 25 coupled with delicate respiration valves 20 and 2| and the continuous introduction of oxygen to the central part or main chamber of the rebreathing bag make such oxygen administration to patients who are low and enfeebled practicable, or, stated otherwise, makes it possible for such patients to receive a constant supply of inhalation gases of a very high concentration of oxygen.

From the standpoint of the aviator, particularly in high flying, my construction has a high degree of efliciency, since there is nothing which can get in the way of the hands of the wearer chamber of the mask and thence to the breathing passages is so short that substantially no more eifort in breathing is required than would be required in breathing open air, that is, there is substantially no friction resistance to be overcome.

I claim:

1. In a combined mask and rebreathing bag structure, a mask body adapted when worn to contact the face and chin of the wearer to form a breathing chamber, a rebreathing bag Idirectly secured at its ends to portions of the mask body to extend across and under the chin-contacting portions of the mask body, said rebreathing bag also being secured to the mask body at its transverse center, and an opening of considerable cross-sectional area extending into the rebreathing bag through said last-named connection.

2. In a combined mask and rebreathing bag structure, a mask body adapted when worn to contact the face and chin of the wearer to form a breathing chamber, a rebreathing bag directly secured at its ends to portions of the mask body to extend across and under the chin-contacting I portions of the mask body, said rebreathingbag also being secured to the mask body at its transverse center, an opening of considerable crosssectional area extending into the rebreathing bag through said last-i-named connection, and means for delivering oxygen to the rebreathing bag.

p 3. In a combined mask and rebreathing bag structure, a mask body adapted when worn to contact the face and chin of the wearer to form a breathing chamber, a rebreathing bag directly secured at its ends to portions of the mask body to extend across and under the chin-contacting portions of themaskbody, a tubular passageway within said mask body adapted to be connected with a source of oxygen supply and terminating in a button outside of said mask body and within the rebreathingbag, said rebreathing bag also being secured to the mask body about and by said button.

4. In a combined mask and rebreathing bag structure, a mask body adapted when wom'to contact the face and chin of the wearer to form a breathing-chamber, a pair of respiration tubes extending outwardly at either side of the mask body, a rebreathing bag of elongated cross section provided with securing tabs at its ends, said tabs respectively being secured toinner walls of mask and rebreathing bag structure, a mask',b0dy adapted when worn to contact the face and chin of the wearer to form a breathing chamber, a pair of respiration tubes extending outwardly at either side of the mask body,-a rebreathing bag of elongated cross section provided with-securing tabs at its ends, said .tabs

' respectively being secured to inner walls of the respiration tubes so'as to hold the maskto ex-' tend across and under the chin-contactng portions of the mask body, and a passageway open-1 ing from the breathing chamber to the interior of the rebreathing bag at its upper transverse center, said rebreathing bag being provided with a tubular extension cooperating with'thewalls of and the passage from the rebreathing h s to the structure, a mask body adapted when worn to contact the face and chin of the wearer to form a breathing chamber, a rebreathing bag directly secured at its ends to portions of the mask body to extend across and under the chin-contacting portions of .the mask body, a tubular passageway within said mask body adapted to be connected with a source of oxygen supply, the walls of said tubular passageway extending into and addition- 

